ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — George Russell has escalated his disagreement with Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen, claiming the Dutchman stated “he was going to purposefully exit of his solution to crash into me and ‘put me on my f—ing head within the wall.'”
Verstappen misplaced pole place in Qatar per week in the past when he went to the stewards for blocking Russell throughout qualifying, with each drivers going to the stewards room to debate the incident.
A one-place grid penalty dropped him behind Russell, however Verstappen still won the race.
After doing so, he referred to as out Russell in TV interviews, saying he “misplaced all respect” for the Mercedes driver and accused him of appearing pleasant in public after which lobbying for his penalty within the stewards room.
In an interview to Dutch TV, Verstappen accused Russell of being two-faced, including: “You know what it’s? He acts first rate in entrance of the digital camera right here, however whenever you discuss to him personally, he’s a distinct individual … I am unable to stand that. In that case you may higher f— off.”
But Russell stated that was solely half the story.
Speaking to a small group of media together with ESPN on Thursday, Russell stated Verstappen threatened to bodily damage him in the course of the race as soon as they left the stewards’ room.
“I discover all of it fairly ironic seeing as Saturday night time he stated he was going to purposefully exit of his solution to crash into me and ‘put me on my f—ing head within the wall,'” Russell stated.
“So to query any person’s integrity as an individual, whereas saying feedback like that the day earlier than, I discover could be very ironic, and I’m not going to sit down right here and settle for it.
“People have been bullied by Max for years now, and you may’t query his driving talents. But he can not take care of adversity.
“Whenever something has gone towards him — Jeddah ’21, Brazil ’21 — he lashes out. Budapest this yr, the very first race the automotive wasn’t dominant, crashing into Lewis, slamming his crew … As I stated, for me, these feedback on Saturday night time and Sunday have been completely disrespectful and pointless.
“Because what occurs on observe, we struggle arduous, that is a part of racing. What occurs within the stewards’ room, you struggle arduous, nevertheless it’s by no means private. But he is taken it too far now.”
Explaining the altercation in additional element, Russell stated: “[It was] to me privately, yeah, straight out of the stewards. He stated, ‘I do not know why you’ll wish to screw me like this, I’m so dissatisfied in you. I used to be going to not even race you tomorrow, I used to be going to allow you to by, however now if I’ve to, I’ll purposely exit of my solution to put you in your f—ing head within the wall.’ So, I imply… as I stated, I do not perceive why he was so unnecessarily aggressive and violent in that regard.”
ESPN has contacted Red Bull for remark.
Russell stated he had been joyful to go away the entire incident to occur in personal till he noticed what Verstappen had stated within the media.
“I truthfully simply wish to set the file straight, to be sincere. Because it is only a complete double normal that he has for the rules, and simply pondering that he’s above all people else,” Russell stated.
“So it isn’t me attempting to say my management type or something. It’s simply any person has come out and stated that I’m a two-faced motherf—er, and he is entitled to his personal opinions.
“But popping out and saying that publicly, and slamming me publicly, as I say, I’m simply not going to simply accept it, and I’m going to inform individuals what the truth was.”
Verstappen’s racing type on observe has been a speaking level for years — Russell advised the Red Bull driver has been emboldened after years of beneficial stewards’ selections.
“He pushes himself to absolutely the restrict week in, week out, and that’s in 95% of the eventualities, is unbelievable to see. And I respect him for that 95%.
“But there have been incidents which have gone unpunished. Maybe that’s the reason he thinks he can get away with homicide. But that’s not the world we reside in, and actions have penalties.
“I’m not taking it anyway, to be sincere. I’ll allow you to come to these assessments. You know, it may simply maintain happening like that. For me, it is fascinating, this complete regard with him and his personal crew.
“They’re doing their utmost to get [Christian] Horner out of Red Bull, however on the very first race that he wasn’t aggressive, [Verstappen] was completely slamming his crew, and I do know for a reality the week after, 1 / 4 of his engineering crew have been sending their CVs to Mercedes, to McLaren, to Aston.
“So I do not respect any person who would not recognize those that have given him the possibility to carry out, as a result of these final 12 races, he has had a automotive that’s of regular competitiveness, and he is been within the struggle the identical means as myself, Lewis, Charles, Carlos, Lando and Piastri have been. That’s the way it ought to be.
“Again, I really feel like all of us want to guide by instance right here. He’s the largest, most profitable man within the sport for the final couple of years. He can do what he needs in his personal enterprise, however when he begins throwing feedback round like he did on Sunday night time about me, I’m not simply going to sit down there and settle for it.”
In one other media session forward of this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Russell continued: “Lewis stood as much as him in 2021 and Lewis misplaced that championship unfairly. Could you think about the roles being reversed? Max dropping that championship within the method of how Lewis misplaced that championship? I imply, [Michael] Masi could be fearing for his life.
“And the best way Lewis handled that championship struggle, he was arduous, he was aggressive, he was at all times respectful, and he by no means went past the road.”
